Preksha Dhyana Basic Principles

Author(s): Mahapragna Acharya
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

Page 25

Perception of Body
With the modern life-style, an average educated person working almost entirely with his brain, is scarcely aware of his own body. He is, no doubt, quite familiar with the stresses he is forced to face, and the resulting fatigue as well as the mental tension. But his knowledge about its process is meagre. Even when one does experience tensions, he is unable to pin-point exactly where the tension lies. Indeed he has not an inkling that his body possesses an innate protective mechanism which, when triggerred, can counteract the effects of the overstress. If, therefore, one desires to improve his physical and mental health, he has to reestablish contact with his body.
It should also be remembered that the body is the abode of the soul. Our existence functions in duality. That is, the subtle spiritual self works within the gross physical body. It is the spiritual self which gives one a sense of wisdom and mastership. But it must have a physical body to function and perform in. Science also has now proved that life's processes for man lie almost wholly within himself. Thus, the body alone can be the medium of exercising the power and authority of the consciousness to control and subdue one's primal drives, animal impulses and carnal desires. And subjugation of these urges will ultimately result in the eradication of the contamination by karmic matter. The spiritual self will then achieve the state of pure uncontaminated consciousness.
The process of šarira-prekşā is centripetal, i.e. from outside to inside, thus reversing one's usual direction of the flow of consciousness, which is from inside to outside. Com.
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